Raúl González began his coaching career in professional football with a defeat. In the Real Madrid and Spain legend’s debut at the helm of Real Oviedo, the hosts lost 2–1 to Girona in a match from the 14th round of Spain’s Segunda División.
Real Oviedo took the lead immediately after half-time. In the 46th minute, Alberto Reina headed in a cross from Ilyas Chaira to put the hosts ahead. Girona, however, responded quickly and completed the comeback within 15 minutes.
Abel Ruiz equalised in the 58th minute, and Oleksandr Pyschur scored the visitors’ second goal five minutes later. According to an analysis by “AS”, both goals came after mistakes in Oviedo’s defence. The hosts tried to respond with changes to the line-up but were unable to find another goal.
“The two goals they scored against us could have been avoided. Nevertheless, I am leaving with many positive things from what I saw today,” Raúl González said after the match. He described the game as evenly matched and stressed that the players had given their all.
“We will continue working with the same desire,” added the Real Oviedo manager, who took charge of the team after the club parted ways with Julián Calero. The club presented Raúl as head coach of the first team on a contract running until June 2028.
Before the start of the match at Carlos Tartiere, a minute’s silence was held in memory of Juan José Rodríguez, a sub-inspector with Spain’s National Police known as Jota, and his service dog Deni. The two died on 10 November in an explosion caused by an improvised explosive device in Oviedo, while police officers were responding to a report of gunfire. Another officer was also seriously injured in the incident.
Jota and Deni regularly took part in security operations around the stadium during football matches. Their memory was honoured in the week in which the city was shaken by the tragedy.
Following the defeat, Real Oviedo are ninth in the provisional standings with 21 points. Girona climbed to third place with 24 points, with the two teams separated by three points after 14 matches played.
Raúl’s team will next travel to Córdoba on 22 November at 14:00. The match will be the new manager’s second game in charge of Oviedo and the team’s first chance to end the negative start under the new management.
Sources: as.com, oviedo-hoy.es, apnews.com